Medical expenses bog down families

DNMUM422292 | 9/15/2018 | Author : Anagha Sawant | WC :269 | Health

DNA In-depth
A health report based on a survey conducted across the city this year, states that on an average, 9.1% of a household’s income is spent on medical costs and expenses of the family.A report released by the Praja Foundation, a non-profit working for better governance, stated that while there has been a rise in the cost of medical treatment, more than 76 per cent of the households in 2018, did not have any medical insurance for their families.As per the data provided, 70 per cent of the highest socio-economic group members and 80 per cent of the lowest socio-economic group members do not have medical insurance. The citizen-driven survey was carried out by Hansa Research. They did a house-to-house survey of 20,078 householdsRead full story

this year.Speaking about ward-wise data on the percentage of a family’s annual income spent on medical costs, Milind Mhaske, Programme Director, Praja Foundation, said, “As per the data collected , M/E ward i.e Govandi, Mankhurd area’s residents spend the highest percentage of their family income (12%) on medical costs. There is just one public hospital and 38 per cent of the population accesses that. However, 56 per cent of the ward’s population accesses private hospitals.”Similarly, the residents of P/South ward - Goregaon West, spend 11 per cent of their annual family income on medical costs. While it has two public hospitals, 44 per cent of the residents accesses public hospitals and 56 per cent of them accesses private hospitals.“The lack of any health or medical insurance leads to more expenditure from their annual family income,” Mhaske said.

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